When It’s Dark and You Want It Not to Be

I war with the boys who like the living room to be on the cave-ish side of things–curtains pulled and nary a lamp string pulled.

Hands on hips, I stand before them and say, How can you boys stand this! (Rhetorical.)

I throw open curtains and switch on every lamp available. They groan like I’ve ruined their entire lives.

I like the light.

So what does a curtain opener do with these words from Isaiah…

“Who among you fears the Lord

and obeys the word of his servant?

Let him who walks in the dark,

who has no light,

trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God.

 

But now, all you who light fires

and provide yourselves with flaming torches,

go, walk in the light of your fires

and of the torches you have set ablaze.

This is what you shall receive from my hand:

You will lie down in torment.

 

Isaiah 50:10-11

It sounds poetic –that a person who has no light should rely on his God, until we realize the unspoken instruction is to stay in the dark.

Hey, you there who walks in the dark –stay put!

For how long? you say.

No answer.

Just stay there in the pitch black –not knowing which way to go, how things will turn out, when your heart will be healed, how your bills will be paid.

Sit tight, my dad would say.

Sit tight: To not take any further action until you are told to do so. 

Sit in the dark.

Maybe it’s good news that only the wicked light their own fires and provide themselves with flaming torches. It’s (somewhat) of a relief that we can plant ourselves in this place of dreary darkness and do no labor except to believe that light will come.

We trust…

Jesus, the Curtain Opener and Light Switcher On-er, will come to us.